Convertible straight and flared skirt



June 17, 1958 w. uur: CONVERTIBLE STRAIGHT AND. FLARED SKIRT Filed March 1, 1956 INVENTOR.

WALTER Ll LIE BY ATTOJE'AZI United States Patent CONVERTIBLE STRAIGHT AND FLARED SKIRT Walter Lilie, Flushing, N. Y.

Application March 1, 1956, Serial No. 568,787

1 Claim. (Cl. 2-211) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in skirts and skirt constructions.

More particularly, the present invention proposes the construction of an improved convertible skirt, straight and flared which can easily and simply be converted to or from a straight or pencil skirt to a full or flared skirt.

As a further object, the present invention proposes forming the skirt with spaced vertical inverted pleats having slide fastener closures which will close the pleats when the slider is moved downward and will open the pleats when the slider is moved upwardly.

Still further, the present invention proposes constructing the pleats so that the slide fastener elements and slider are concealed when the pleats are closed and are inconspicuous when the pleats are open.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a skirt constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the skirt shown in Fig. 1 with the pleats closed.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the skirt showing one of the closed pleats.

Fig. 4- is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the pleat substantially fully open.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the convertible skirt, straight and flared, is designated generally by the reference numeral 15.

Skirt can be worn with a blouse or waist or with a sweater or in any manner in which conventional skirts are worn.

Skirt 15 has two or more spaced vertical inverted pleats 16 which may be box pleats or side seam pleats.

Each pleat 16 has folded forward edge portions 17 and 18, a backing portion 19, slide fastener tapes 20 and 21 with slide fastener elements 22 and 23 and a slider 24. The tapes and fastener elements extend from the waist to the hip area of the skirt.

Forward edge portions 17 and 18 have rearwardly disposed edges 25 and 26, respectively, and backing portion 19 has side edges 27 and 28. Tape 20 has the slide fastener elements 22 secured to one edge 29 and the other edge 30 of the tape is secured by stitches31 between rearwardly disposed edge 25 of the forward edge portion 17 and side edge 27 of backing portion 19. The stitches 31 also secure the rearward disposed edge 25 of the forward edge portion 17 .to the side edge 27 of backing portion 19.

Tape 21 has slide fastener elements 23 secured to one edge 32 and the other edge 33 is secured by stitches 34 between and to the rearwardly disposed edge 26 of the 2,838,760. Patented June 17, 1958 forward edge portion 18 and to the side edge 28 of backing portion 19. Stitches 34, in this manner, connect the rearwardly disposed edge 26 of the forward edge portion 18 and the side edge 28 of backing portion 19.

Slider 24 is mounted on the slide fastener elements so that it will close the slide fastener elements on downward travel and disengage and open the slide fastener elements on upward travel.

When a slider 24 is fully down, the pleat is closed and the slider and slide fastener elements are concealed. The skirt is then a pencil or straight skirt as shown in Fig. 3.

When a slider 24 is fully up, the pleat is open and the slider and slide fasteners are partly concealed and inconspicuous. The skirt is a flared or full skirt as shown in Fig. 1 when the pleats are all open.

It is to be understood that the skirt 15 may be an integral part of a conventional one piece dress or a sheath dress and in certain instances the teeth of the slide fastener elements 22 and 23 may be exposed either in open or in closed position so that the said teeth may be used as ornamental or decorative features.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

A convertible skirt, comprising a tubular body convertible into either a straight type or a flared type body, said body having an inexpansible waist and having spaced vertical inverted openable pleats extending from the waist to the bottom of the skirt, said pleats each having forward edge portions and a backing portion, coacting slide fastener elements disposed adjacent to and behind the forward edge portions of each pleat, said slide fastener elements extending from the waist to the hip region of the body, and slider members for connecting the slide fastener elements to close the forward edge portions and the pleats and to separate the slide fastener elements and open the forward edge portions and the pleats to expose the backing portions, said forward edge portions of the pleats being folded providing rearwardly disposed edges, said backing portions having side edges, and said slide fastener elements having tapes secured thereto, said slide fastener elements being secured to one side edge of each tape and the other edge of each tape being secured to one of said rearwardly disposed edges of the forward edge portions of the pleats and to one of the side edges of the backing portions, said slide members being mounted on the slide fastener elements to close the slide fasteners on downward movement and to open the slide fastener elements on upward travel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 22,655 Mahoney Aug. 14, 1945 1,022,410 Freedman Apr. 9, 1912 1,125,903 Fatherson et al. Jan. 19, 1915 2,097,175 Cowf Oct. 26, 1937 2,098,810 Pierce Nov. 9, 1937 2,099,478 Gurian Nov. 16, 1937 2,317,768 Holland et a1. Apr. 27, 1943 2,343,480 Sansom Mar. 7, 1944 2,498,184 Sever Feb. 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 459,700 Great Britain Jan. 13, 1937 

